Dispensing closure cap



A. s. JOHNSON, JR 3,056,522

DISPENSING CLOSURE CAP Oct. 2, 1962 Filed Dec. 29, 1960 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,056,522 DISPENSING CLOSURE CAP Albert S. Johnson, Jr., Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 79,231 6 Claims. (Cl. 215-46) My invention relates to dispensing closure caps and has for an important object the provision of a singlepiece molded cap usable both as a primary or initial seal for bottles, whether formed of glass or plastic material and later by the consumer as a liquid dispensing device.

Heretofore it has been customary to provide a dispensing device separate and apart from the conventional closure cap. In some instances the dispenser has been incorporated in the container neck structure and on some occasions .a fitment such as a polyethylene ring or the like has been affixed to the container neck. Such devices obviously increase the production costs, such being refiected in the price charged the consuming public for the merchandise.

An object of my invention is the provision of novel, inexpensive means for overcoming the foregoing explained objections and making available to the consumer at reasonable cost a combined one-piece cap and dispenser, the latter being attained through a simple operation performed upon the closure cap.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a closure cap formed of a molded plastic material, such as polystyrene, the closure panel having an easily removable internal peg or spike joined to the wall of and normally closing the inner end of an axial opening in said panel, such that when removed it transforms .a primary closure cap into a most reliable pouring or dispensing device.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a closure cap and dispenser embodying my invention and secured to a bottle neck.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the cap and dispenser illustrating the manner in which the cap is converted to a liquid dispenser.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the closure cap panel and separable plug for converting the cap to a liquid dispenser.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of those portions of the cap shown in FIG. 3.

In that form of my invention illustrated herein it is shown in conjunction with a bottle neck to which it is threadedly attached. Obviously, the threads may be replaced by lugs or other holding means. Also, the container may be formed of glass, as indicated, or of a preferred plastic or thermoplastic material. It is also evident that the cap is readily transformed from a primary hermetic seal into a dispensing device simply by applying suificient lateral finger pressure to the axial peg or pin depending from the panel to break the pin away from said panel along the thin line of weakness indicated. Thus the bottom or inner end of the dispensing aperture is opened.

Although the closure cap is usable with both plastic and glass bottles, I have shown it attached to the neck 10 of a glass bottle (not shown). As illustrated, the bottle neck incorporates the customary transfer head 11 on its exterior surface. A short distance above this bead are screw threads 12 which, as stated above, may well be replaced by lugs, if desired.

My closure cap C, which may be formed of polystyrene, or other preferred thermoplastic material, comprises a disk-like panel 13 formed with a depending annular attaching skirt 14, the latter having internal screw threads for engagement with the threads 12 of the bottle neck. These threads, of course, may assume the form of lugs or other appropriate holding means.

At the axis of the panel is an axial aperture 15 which initially is merely a recess but later, if desired, becomes a liquid dispensing opening, as will become apparent. At its outer end this aperture is defined by an axially extended rib or cut-off 16 which aids in pouring, as is believed evident. It provides a sharp corner 17 for cutting off liquid flow quite sharply and completely incident to uprighting a bottle from a pouring or dispensing position.

The inner end of the aperture 15 initially is closed by a plug 18 which is of circular form and at its periphery is joined to the inner end of the aperture wall 19 by a thin, frangible, annular web 20. At this point the panel 13 is of reduced thickness (FIG. 3) providing a gently curved annular surface 21 over which liquid may flow easily to the .aperture 15, when open. Preferably the plug has an inward extension in the form of a pin 22 providing a lever facilitating finger separation of the plug from the panel. A slight lateral movement of the pin 22 under finger pressure will effect plug removal when desired. As is apparent, the closure cap, including the plug and pin, are molded as a unitary structure with the thin zone of weakness or web 20. Depending from the inner side of the panel and encircling the pin and aperture is a sealing ring or flange 23 having a tapered exterior surface designed for entry into and sealing contact with the inner wall of the bottle neck.

The mode of operation is believed quite clear. Normally the closure cap has the plug positioned to close the aperture 15. Thus it effectively serves as a primary or initial bottle seal. When the consumer wishes to dispense the contents in a small stream or a few drops at a time, he removes the cap, presses the pin 22 in a lateral direction and thereby separates the plug from the cap along the web 29. With replacement of the cap upon the bottle, dispensing as just described may be practiced.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination closure cap and liquid dispenser comprising a disk-like panel, a depending attaching skirt at the periphery of said panel, the panel having an axial aperture extending toward the interior of the panel from the outer surface of the latter, said aperture being closed at its inner end by a plug, there being a relatively thin, frangible connection between the plug and inner end of the aperture wall whereby to facilitate manual removal of the plug and convert the closure cap to a dispenser there being a lever connected to the plug and disposed within the confines of the attaching skirt.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, the plug and remainder of the closure cap being a unitary molded structure.

3 4 T combination defined in claim h pin b i g ing ring for engagement with the interior surface of the tapered. neck of a bottle to which the cap is attachable.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, the lever being an axially extending pin formed as an integral part of Refflences Cited in the file of this patent the plug. 5

5. The combination defined in claim 1, the panel being UNITED STATES PATENTS reduced in thickness in an annular zone at the juncture f Said panel and plug 689,082 Hess et a1 Dec. 17, 1901 6. The combination defined in claim 1, the panel 2,395,149 h w F 1 1946 formed on its inner surface with an integral annular seal- 10 2,949,215 Mudge et a]. Aug. 16, 1960 

